Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 75 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 83% | 77 | 362 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 78 | 1 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 70% | 67 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 4 reviews sampled · 4 total reviews in window · weighted 2.3 up / 1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (30)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“These few rough edges aside, overall The Next BIG Thing is a lovingly crafted production, its sights and sounds are exquisite, the oddball characters are fascinating, and the whimsical script is epic, the nutty conversations are certain to amuse even the most dour cynic.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Lovers of adventure games have had some big expectations regarding The Next Big Thing and the developers have met most of them. This is by far the best Pendulo game. An original gameworld spawned a great variety of characters and locations, and the story - although a little humorous - keeps the player entertained and immersed. Dan and Liz are very likable and we tend to cheer for them from the first minute.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The Next Big Thing, then, is not exactly what it says on the tin - but we still got plenty of laughs out of it. If you're on the prowl for a point-and-click adventure, this will easily tide you over until the next Telltale title comes knocking. Never before has a game produced a character who was so... disconcerting.”
read full review ↗ - 77
“As long as you are willing to roll with the dialog and narrative quirks, it's a fun ride. It isn't perfect, but it does capture the magic of the genre with entertaining characters, interesting puzzles, and a current of humor that runs throughout the game.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“Even though The Next Big Thing seems to have a lot in common with the Runaway trilogy, it is an absolutely great game. What a shame that the puzzles are not always as challenging as you expect them to be.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“For the most part, you're left plodding and prodding around a series of mildly engaging scenarios, wishing that a spark of wry creative genius could just kick it up a notch.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“The Next Big Thing creates a lush vision of an alternate-reality Hollywood, but its knockout visuals can't make up for its frustrating puzzles.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“The next big thing shows us how an adventure has to look in the year 2011, despite being far too easy for the most time. Only the hieroglyphics-puzzle is really frustrating because it's not logical in the game world.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It's a good game if given the time to be familiar, Help section could be expanded for more assistance, and there's tons of story to keep you going.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For anyone out there that can't get enough of this genre, and can't wait the month for the next Telltale release of whatever they are working on, this is a pleasant buy. Anyone else who might be getting leery of this content feel entirely free to watch some videos of the funnier stuff on YouTube. ”
read full review ↗ - 70
“This is a gorgeous and amusing diversion, even if puzzling feels tacked-on, rather than integral. [July 2011, p.71]”
- 65
“The appealing characters and occasionally entertaining puzzles can only take it so far. [July 2011, p.99]”
GRYOnline.pl
GameWatcher
ZTGD
Eurogamer
GameSpot
PC Gamer…and 18 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.